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DUNGEONS
CMe UA Sy
FANTASY ADVENTURE GAME
BASIC RULEBOOK
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The Original Fantasy
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PCr @ OeyTABLE OF CONTENTS
PART 1: INTRODUCTION.
‘What D&D Is All About
How To Use This Book
Defintions of Siandard D&D Terms
Use of the Word “Level”...
How ToUsethe Dice...
HowTo"Win".
How to Creates Payer Characier
Summary,
Character Abies...
Ability Score Adjustments
Hit Points and Hit Dice... si
Bonuses and Penalties Due to Abilities |.
Character Class Tables 0-0...
Thieves" Abilities
Character Classes
CLERICS... parca
DWARVES «0. " Be
ELVES BO.
FIGHTERS 2000000000000.
HALFLINGS.
MAGIGUSERS. 0.0.0... va “
‘THIEVES = : rere
SEESBERERE eeReRe
“Hopeless Characters". -
EXAMPLE OF CREATING A PLAYER
CHARACTER
‘Second
HIGHER LEVEL CLERIC AND
MAGIC-USER SPELLS .. ' fi
PART 4: THE ADVENTURE 0002 B19
BEGINNING THE ADVENTURE .-- ie
Party Size and Composition... ...-
Organiainga Party.
Time...
BRREERERERRREEEEEE
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Saving Throws
Saving Throws Table.
‘Saving Throws for Higher Level Characters
HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT.
Character Attacks
Monster Attacks...
Missile Fire Ranges -
Variable Weapon Damage
Morale (OPTIONAL)...
EXAMPLE OF COMBAT ..
PART 6: MONSTERS
MONSTER LIST: Acolyte to Zombie
PART 7: TREASURE
Wand/Stalt/Rod
Miscellaneous Magic Items,
COINS:
GEMS
JEWELRY
MAGIC ITEMS.
EXPLANATION OF MAGIC ITEMS
‘Swords. Weapons, and Armor
Potions
Scrolls
Rings.
Wands, Staves, and Rods
Miscellaneous Magic lems
PART 8: DUNGEON MASTER
INFORMATION :
‘CHOOSE A SCENARIO.
DECIDE ON A SETTING.
DECIDE ON SPECIAL MONSTERS
TO BE USED
DRAW THE MAP OF THE DUNGEON
STOCK THE DUNGEON
Contents & Treasure
Room Traps
Treasure Traps
Specials
Treasure >
Unguarded Treasure
F. FILLING IN FINAL DETAILS
CREATING AN NPC PARTY.
WANDERING MONSTERS
AN EXAMPLE OF DUNGEON DESIGN:
‘THE HAUNTED KEEP (1st Level)
DUNGEON KEY.
DUNGEON MAPS.
Sample Dungeon Expedition
Dungeon Masteringas aFine Art
CREDITS,
AFTERWORD..
INSPIRATIONAL SOURCE
MATERIAL
FICTION: YOUNG ADULT FANTASY
NONFICTION: YOUNG ADULT
FICTION: ADULT FANTASY.
SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS
NONFICTION
GLOSSARY
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B52DUNGEONS & DRAGONS*
FANTASY ADVENTURE GAME
BASIC RULEBOOK
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By Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson
lited by Tom Moldvay
Ilustrations by
Jeff Dee James Roslof
David S. LaForce Bill Willingham
Erol Otus Cover by Erol Otus
ISBN 0.935696-48-2
BIFOREWORD
1 was busy rescuing the captured maiden when the dragon showed up. Fifty feet of scaled terror glared down at us with
smoldering red eyes. Tendills of smoke drifted out from between fangs larger than daggers. The dragon blocked the only exit
from the cave.
‘Sometimes I forget that D&D® Fantasy Adventure Game is a game and not a novel I'm reading or a movie I'm watching. The
‘original D&D rules are a classic. They gave the first gaming system for fantasy role playing and, in my opinion, are still the bast
set of rules on the market. When I revised the rules I tried to maintain the spirit of the earlier rules.
‘Those rules were wnitten for people with a background of gaming experience. This revision was designed to be easily read and
used by individuals who have never before played a role playing game.
In the half-dozen years since the origina rules were published, the TSR staf has answered thousands of rule's questions. The
answers helped find problem areas in those rules, areas which could either stand minor improvements or were difficult for
novice gamers to understand, This revision was aided not only by the collected gaming experience of TSR personnel butby the
‘gaming experience of the thousands of players and DMs who sent us letters in the m:
‘The D&D game has neither losers nor winners it has only gamers who relish exercising their imagination. The players and the
DM share in creating adventures in fentastic ands where heroes abound and magic realy works. In a sense, the D&D game has
no rules, only rule suggestions. No rule is inviolate, particulary if a new or altered rule will encourage creativity and imagination,
‘The important things to enjoy the adventure.
unwrapped the sword which the mysterious cleric had given me. The sword was golden-tinted steel Its hilt was set with a rain:
bbow collection of precious gems. I shouted my battle cry and charged.
‘My change cought the dragon by surprise. Its titanic jaws snapped shut inches from my face. I swung the golden sword with both
arms. The swordblade bit into the dragon's neck and continued through to the other side. With an earth-shaking crash, the
dragon dropped dead at my feet. The magic sword had saved my life and ended the reign of the dragon-tyrant. The country
‘ide was fteed and I could return as a hero.
‘Tom Moldvay
‘3 December 1980
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
‘The authors and editors wish to extend their thanks to the following individuals who helped make this book possible through
their ideas and contributions: Brian Blume, Dave Cook, Erie Gygax, Allen Hammack, Kevin Hendryx, Harold Johnson, Tim
Kack, Jeff Key, Rob Kuntz, Alan Lucien, Steve Marsh, Frank Mentzer, Mike Mornard, Jon Pickens, Brian Pitzer, Michael Price,
Patrick Price, Paul Reiche ill, Evan Robinson, Gordon Schick, Lawrence Schick, Edward G. Sollers, Don Snow, Stephen D.
Sullivan, Ralph Wagner, Jim Ward, Jean Wells, and Bill Wilkerson.
Special thanks to Harold Johnson and Frank Mentzer for their care and dedication in reorganiaing and fine tuning this bookPART 1: INTRODUCTION
‘What The D&D® Game Is All About
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® Fantasy Adventure Game (*D&D®
Game” for shon) isa role playing adventure game for persons 10
years and older. Inthe D&D rules, individuals play the rol of char
acters in a fantasy world where magje is real and heroos venture
‘out on dangerous quess in search of fame and fortune, Characters
‘gain experience by overcoming pers and recovering treasures. AS
‘characters gain experience, they grow in power and abilty
[Atleast two persons are needed to play this game, though the
‘game is most enjoyable when played by a aroup of four to eight
people. This came, unlike others, does nt use a playing board of
actual playing pieces. ll that is needed to play are these rales the
dice inchided in this set, pencil and paper. graph paper, and
Jmaginaton, The game may be more exiting f miniature lead
figures ofthe characters and monsters are used, but the game can
be played without such aids.
How To Use This Book
‘This book contains all the basic rules necessary to play
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® Fantasy Adventure Game, It has
been organized into eight pars
art one, the INTRODUCTION, explains general background in
formation and defines many of the terms used. These and other
terms are collected and defined in the GLOSSARY (in the back of
the book),
Part (wo, PLAYER CHARACTER INFORMATION, explains
how to create a player character and is arranged in numbered,
‘easy to follow steps
Part three, SPELLS, iss megic-user, elf, and clerical spells along,
with a description and notes on the use of each spell
Part four, THE ADVENTURE, is filled with general information
useful to allthe players.
Most ofthe action in DR&D games take place during encounters, 20
Part five, THE ENCOUNTER, deals with these actions including
‘COMBAT.
Part six, MONSTERS, contains descriptions and explanations of
‘over 100 monsters, arranged alphabetically
Part seven, TREASURE, explains the different types of treasure
{and many magical tems which the player characters may find dur
Ingtheir adventures
Pert eisht, DUNGEON MASTER INFORMATION, gives a step:
by.stop design of a sample dungeon level plus tbe to help the
releree
This rule booklet deals mostly with adventure in a dungeon and
‘explains the diferent player character classes (professions) from
the Ist to the 3rd level of experience. (These and other terms will
bbe explained later in this booklet) The D&D® EXPERT SET
adds to these rules, providing further details for player character